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Cubs, Cardinals Split Another Double Header

Matt Carpenter belted a grand slam and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Cubs 9-3 in Game 1 of a doubleheader on Wednesday, holding Chicago to two hits even though a shaky Jack Flaherty couldn't make it out of the second inning.

 

Flaherty gave up a leadoff homer to Ian Happ and recorded just five outs in his first start since a season-opening win over Pittsburgh.

 

Carpenter drove a rope to center in the first against Alec Mills (2-2) for his second career grand slam. Tommy Edman had three hits and Kolten Wong scored four runs.

 

Flaherty threw 41 pitches, walked two and exited with the bases loaded after hitting Nico Hoerner with an 0-2 pitch. Austin Gomber struck out Happ to end that threat and escaped another bases-loaded jam in the third when Jason Kipnis grounded out.

 

Tyler Webb (1-1) got four outs and the Cardinals got back to winning after dropping two straight to the NL Central leaders. Baseball's seven-inning doubleheader format, implemented this season to help teams push through a frequently disrupted 60-game schedule, allowed St. Louis to use four relievers for 1 1/3 innings apiece after Flaherty's exit. No team has been more disrupted than the Cardinals, who were sidelined for 15 days by a COVID-19 outbreak.

 

John Gant and Ricardo Sanchez finished the game for the Cardinals, with Sanchez allowing the Cubs' only other hit - Josh Phegley's two-run homer in the seventh.

 

Happ hit the right field video board with his team-leading sixth homer - and third in four games. Mills lasted lasted 3 2/3 innings, allowing six runs and seven hits.

 

 

 

David Bote hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the seventh and final inning, Adbert Alzolay pitched five solid innings in his season debut, and the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 on Wednesday night to split a doubleheader.

 

St. Louis' Brad Miller hit a tying RBI single in the bottom of the sixth against Jeremy Jeffress (2-1). But the Cubs quickly answered.

 

Playing as the visitor in the nightcap because the game was a makeup from a postponed series in St. Louis from earlier this month, the Cubs loaded the bases against Andrew Miller (0-1) on singles by Kyle Schwarber, Willson Contreras and Nico Hoerner with one out. Bote, whose pinch-hit, hit three-run homer won the second game of Monday's doubleheader, then lined a single to center against Giovanny Gallegos, making it 4-2 and propelling the Cubs to their third win in four games.

Craig Kimbrel, who lost the closer's job after a shaky start to the season, worked the seventh for his first save. He struck out Kolten Wong after hitting Tommy Edman with two out to close out an unusual five-game, three-day series.

 

Alzolay gave the Cubs what they were looking for in his third major league start, holding the reigning division champions to an unearned run and two hits. The 25-year-old right-hander struck out six and walked one after being called up from Chicago's alternate site in South Bend, Indiana.

 

Johan Oviedo made an impressive major league debut for St. Louis a day after he found out he was being called up. He went five innings, giving up two runs and two hits.

 

Manger Mike Shildt said C Yadier Molina could return as soon as Thursday against Cincinnati, while INF Paul DeJong might need more time.

 

Cubs: 3B Kris Bryant missed his third consecutive game after getting an injection Tuesday for his ailing left wrist. The 2016 NL MVP was hurt on a diving attempt on Cesar Hernandez's flare to left field in the fifth inning of a 7-2 victory at Cleveland last week. 

 

LHP Jose Quintana (thumb surgery) is scheduled to throw a simulated game on Friday.

 

The Cardinals open a 12-game homestand, with RHP Adam Wainwright (2-0, 1.64 ERA) going against RHP Sonny Gray (4-1, 2.05) of the Reds. Wainwright got the win in the opener of Saturday's doubleheader against the White Sox - the Cardinals' first game since July 29.

 

Cubs LHP Jon Lester (2-0, 2.74) gets the ball as the Cubs open a three-game series against the crosstown White Sox at Wrigley Field on Friday. LHP Dallas Keuchel (3-2, 3.07) starts for the South Siders.

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